Day 22 Vilarinho to Barcelos

30 km. It was a long day that we could not avoid because we are behind schedule and cannot have too many short days. We were up early at the unprecendented time of 6:30am. The pilgrams in the other room had to eat breakfast in our room (we had the kitchen) and they wanted to eat at 7:00am. We were on the road by 7:45am. It was a short walk to the centre of Viarinho, where we found a pastalaria open, so we had a chance to have a bit of extra breakfast. Breakfast at the hostel was only coffee and biscuits.

We walked a kilometre up the road, which thankfully had a footpath, then left the main road for quiet country lanes. However we were soon back to the main road, with stone walls at the sides facing oncoming traffic. Greg donned the safety vest and his flashing headlight torch. It lasted about 1km and then we had a footpath, and left the main road again. We had forest paths most of the way to Sao Pedro de Rates, where we stopped at the local bar/cafe and had an icecream and drink. It was warm, and sunny, about 26C, and we enjoyed the shade under the umbrella. We left Sao Pedro de Rates and went through quiet dirt tracks through farming country.

As we approached Petra Furada we were forced back to N-306. This section of road had large signs warning drivers to be aware of pilgrams walking on the road. However it was narrow again with stone walls either side, and we were forced to walk on the road. On the first corner we faced a semi-trailer and several cars behind it (who could not see us), and we squeezed ourselves against the stone wall while the truck and cars went past. This section was probably 1km long, but half-way along, while a tractor was travelling the same way as us on the other side of the road, a hoon in an Audi overtook the tractor at high speed squeezing between us and the tractor missing us by centimetres.

When we reached the end of the road, Judy was all for us taking a taxi the rest of the way to Barcelos, she thought it was just too dangerous. We stopped at the Restaurnt at Petra Furada where the proprieter, who has been trying to improve safety for pilgrims, convinced us that the road ahead was much better, and that if we took a scenic detour (over a large hill) it would be a quiet walk into Barcelos.

We took up his suggestion and climbed up 290m to Capela de Sta da Franqueira along a quiet tree-lined shady road. We had great views of the Atalantic ocean from the summit.

We decended down from summit to walk though the suburbs of Barcelos, over the bridge, and along to our hotel. We were pretty exhausted for the day. However we managed to both limp about 800metres to a nice restaurant that did not have any other customers, but provided a nice meal of veal stroganoff (no pork involved).

Greg in his road walking safety gear

Walking up to the summit at Capela de Stada Franqueira (click for larger version)

This is great to read…but I am a bit nervous….do you think I will have problems walking alone in September….we’re there other people about….which guide did you use and was a GPS necessary…I had heard things were well marked….I am only walking from Porto….many thanks. Penny